Two students have appeared before an Accra circuit court for allegedly publishing nude pictures and videos of a 14- year-old girl on Instagram – a social media platform.
They are Desmond Appleton and Elvin Boakye Agyeman Nana Kofi.
They have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime, procurement, possession and publication of child pornography.
Both have pleaded not guilty and the court, presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku, has admitted them to bail in the sum of GH¢50,000 with three sureties, to reappear on August 29.
George Asamaney, counsel for the accused persons, who described the incident as unfortunate, prayed for bail for his clients.
According to him, his clients were on police enquiry bail and that they (police) had requested for some orders to enable them complete their investigations.
Prosecuting, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) C.K Abadamlora said the complainant is a 14-year-old junior high student residing at Laterbiokoshie, Accra.
According to DSP Abadamlora, Appleton is a friend of the complainant and victim in the matter.
The prosecutor said during the month of January this year, Nana Kofi visited the victim’s school to sell T-shirts and befriended her in the course of the sales.
The prosecutor said Nana Kofi started chatting with the victim on Instagram.
In the course of their communication, Nana Kofi convinced the victim to send him her nude videos and photographs.
After obtaining the pictures, Nana Kofi sent them to Appleton. In April this year, Appleton also began chatting with the victim and asked her to send him more of her nude photographs and videos through Instagram else he would release what he had obtained from Nana Kofi online.
Out of fear, the prosecutor said, the minor took 10 shots of herself and gave them to Appleton.
In order to cut the communication between her and the accused persons, DSP Abadamlora said the victim refused to install the Instagram application on her phone.
On July 16, this year, the victim’s mother had a call from the victim’s teacher indicating that her daughter’s nude pictures were on two websites.
When the victim was quizzed about the matter, she confirmed what had transpired between her and the accused persons.
A complaint was lodged with the Cybercrime Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service and during investigations, the accused persons were arrested.
